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M 28 ib^O 

)CI.A571661 



1^ 




A. J. WISEMAN 



THE 
FIRST RELIGION 



HANDED DOWN BY THE WISE MEN WHO WERE 
CHOSEN OF GOD TO WORSHIP GOD AND BE- 
LIEVED GOD WHEN HE SAID, ''BEHOLD, THE 
MAN IS BECOME AS ONE OF US," CAUSING 
US TO BELIEVE JESUS' WORDS WHEN 
HE SAID, "I HAVE COME WITH POWER 
TO ENABLE THE KINGDOM OF MY 
FATHER TO SHINE THROUGH YOU 
WHICH MEANS PERFECTION 
TO THE WORLD." 



By 
A. J. ^ISEMAN 

New York, 1904— Detroit, 1920 






A 



l/" 



dp 



Copyright 1920 

By Adam John Wiseman 

Detroit 



CONTENTS 



Preface Rev. Stephen Alerritt 9 

Preface Mrs. A. J. W 12 

God Sowing the Seed of Perfection 13 

God's Son Reaping the Harvest 11: 

Founder of the First Religion 15 

Convention of the Wise Fathers 18 

A Wise Man President of Convention , 19 

Father x\braham in Convention 21 

St. Peter in Convention 22 

Judas, the Betrayer, in Convention 23 

Prophet Jonah in Convention » 21: 

St. Paul in Convention 26 

Jesus i\ppears in Convention 29 

President Endorsing Speakers in Convention 30 

The Greatest Preacher 34 

Exact Words of Napoleon 42 

To the Unknown Gods 44 

Dr. Dowie as a Preacher 48 

What Is Heaven, by Rev. Fredrick Knowles 50 

God's Spirit Was in the Fathers of A^merica 52 

Key to All the Stories in the Bible 54 

Paradise This World's Future Name 60 



PREFACE 



''The word of God standeth sure; having this seal 
the Lord knoweth them that are His." The word of 
the Lord is here gathered, and, under the illumina- 
tion of the Spirit an endeavor has been made so that 
he that runs may read and clearly understand the 
mind of the Spirit in the things of God. Man's wis- 
dom., righteousness and goodness is shown to be of no 
avail, but it is the kingdom of God within you that 
tells the story. 

Stephen Merritt. 



PREFACE 



The fact that all Christian churches are greater and 
more in line with God's religion today than any prev- 
ious age is true. 

While in this enlightened age we often wonder why 
they have to deal with wars and the many calamities 
that accompany them. 

Many look to the churches and ask why the father 
of all allows such to exist in the world. 

I am persuaded that the leaders of religion would 
answer by saying the sin of the people is prayerlessness 
who attend our churches. They have left the inner 
chamber of God's sanctuary. 

Which leaves them to depend on organizations, 
education, social position and hundreds of other things, 
which are all right inasmuch as they are helpful to the 
present world. 

But there is a secret which we can learn by being 
in communication with God and having His sanction, 
we his people can be instrumental in turning all 
troubles in whatever way they may appear to us into 
blessings for all. 



MRS. A. J. WISEMAN. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 13 

GOD SOWING THE SEED OF PERFECTION IN 
THIS WORLD 

Gen. 3 : 22-24. 

And the Lord God said, behold the man is become as 
one of us to know good and evil. And now lest he put 
forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat 
and live forever. 

Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the gar- 
den of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. 

So he drove out the man and he placed at the east of 
the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which 
turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life. 

God is the seed of perfection and let us stand still and 
see the salvation of the world. 

GOD'S SON REAPING THE HARVEST 

John 12 : 32. 

And if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men 
unto me. 

God's son issued the above proclamation to the world 
over 1900 years ago. Every tim.e we try to lift this per- 
fect one up w^hile in the flesh, we are brought under the 
same delusion of the evil one as Eve was when leaving 
paradise. Do not be deceived by hstening to every wind 
and doctrine. For Jesus said no one can tell you of 
heavenly things but the Holy Ghost, whom the Father 
will send in my name. He alone can be your teacher. 
This divine leader was tempted in all points like as we are 
being in the flesh. He overcame all sin for us. 
Acts 1 :10-11. 



14 THE FIRST RELIGION 

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as 
he went up, behold two men stood by them in white ap- 
parel. 

Which also said ; ye men of Galilee why stand ye gaz- 
ing up into heaven ; this same Jesus wdiich is taken up 
from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye 
have seen him go into heaven. This perfect one while on 
earth w^as buried and come forth. And was known to 
say to Mary touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to 
my father. He w^as also known to say, the w^orks that I 
do, the words that I say, is not of me but my father that 
dwelleth within ; which show^s God established his perfect 
kingdom through his son to the v^orld. 

This being accomplished his father lifted him up from 
the earth, leaving his perfect image so that all the re- 
deemed will be fashioned after him in paradise, and will 
be with him through all eternity. No one in this enlight- 
ened age believes that the Son of God's perfection stopped 
when he ascended over 1900 years ago. But can see by 
the vast improvements sent forth from him since then 
that we are in the shadow of a perfect world which is the 
paradise of God; he removing the fiery sword which al- 
lowed his world to be inhabited by those he gave his life 
for. In return he has sent them as ministering spirits 
back to the evil kingdom. They being born again they 
are in the likeness of the master. Which gives them 
power to accomplish more to overcome sin than any of 
the material world. God's son reflects through the minds 
of so many in this world, a glimpse of his second coming. 
He is also supplying wisdom to the astronomers who are 
making clear to us a world that can almost be discerned 
in the heavens, which shows that in a very few centuries 
we are to be annexed to paradise. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 15 

FOUNDER OF THE FIRST RELIGION 

/^ OD alone is Founder of the First Religion. 
Through His kingdom in mankind the God part 
of us is like the Father of all knowledge, who cannot 
change His power within us causes us to be perfect 
before Him. 

The fact that mankind belongs to God, will be made 
plain to you if you abstain for a little while from mere 
admiration, and, like me, put your mind on God's 
word only. And while doing so, let us imagine we are 
listening to the Almighty talking to the first woman 
and first man. While we hear Him say they are be- 
come as one of us to know good and evil. 

In the beginning the Lord, God Almighty, borrowed 
from the under w^orld sufficient ground to establish 
his religion in humanity that represents two kingdoms 
— good and evil. His goodness in time will work 
through the evil so as all the children of our first 
parents will find themselves in God's universal king- 
dom, to glorify Him forever. 

Adam and Kve were commissioned from the begin- 
ning by the all power of Heaven to redeem the under 
world. There is no doubt but before daylight was 
reflected to this w^orld and all the facilities that go 
to make this world as He would have it for the com- 
fort of our first parents, were produced, that this 
world was inhabited by the evil one while it was in 



16 THE FIRST RELIGION 

darkness. Its founder loved darkness rather than 
light, because his deeds were evil, but the evil one 
watched closely the Lord's plan to send forth on his 
territory good representatives, made part of the ma- 
terial of Paradise and part of the ground of the earth. 
We find the evil king had commissioned one of his 
angels so as to lead God's representatives and to mis- 
guide his religion in a world that God had donated 
to them. 

I imagine the first parents felt as if they wanted to 
go back to Father's house, only to find a fiery sword 
swinging every way to protect the seed of life. 'But, 
they were disappointed when they found the only way 
back was by the way of the grave. Cain and Abel 
were next to be commissioned to produce the first 
religion, Abel being the second representative, but 
Cain represented evil, inasmuch as he had taken the 
evil one's advice to invent murder, but God's religion 
sprang up in Adam's third son, so that even mankind 
in those days called upon the name of the Lord. Gen. 
4:25. 

The next commissioned to bring forth God's religion 
was Noah. He walked and talked with God, who had 
informed him how the Devil's offsprings had planned 
to destroy his spirit, but for the sake of his people, 
he would save the world by using His designs to 
build an Ark, giving him one hundred and twenty 



THE FIRST RELIGION 17 

years to have those people repent, for ''my spirit will 
not always strive with man." After the Ark was built, 
it was known as the House of God, Noah being the 
preacher who in this time invited the inhabitants of 
this dark world to repent, but they that were dead 
to goodness scorned at this ofler for their souls' perfec- 
tion. 

For the benefit of my readers, I will call a conven- 
tion of the fathers of the churches and ask them to 
go v/ith me, w^hile only in imagination, back to Father 
Abram and as near as possible down to the Twentieth 
Century. 

i\Ioses also shows us that the devil has no power 
beyond the earth, which vv^as cursed for man's sake. 
Exodus, iv., 2-0 : ''And the Lord said unto him. What 
is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 

''And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast 
it on the ground, and it became a serpent ; and Moses 
fled from before it. 

''And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine 
liand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his 
hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand. 

"That they may believe that the Lord God of their 
fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and 
the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.'' 



18 THE FIRST RELIGION 

CONVENTION OF THE WISE FATHERS 

I will illustrate to you in order to bring the light 
of God's own words, which cannot but benefit my 
readers, while imagining the fathers of all these dif- 
ferent religions in the world coming together, so that 
they would hold, as it were, a convention, to discuss 
why all this goodness comes to evil men. 

We will suppose this convention is now opening, 
while among them is a representative of the wise men, 
he being a descendant of the first religion which was 
handed down by God to our wise fathers, Noah, Abra- 
ham, Isaac and Jacob, this wisdom coming down 
through the prophets from the wase fathers to the 
wise men who knew of the coming of Jesus. 

This wise man is believed to be the organizer of this 
convention, which brings the fathers of all the churches 
on earth to be united as one. The fathers in return 
credit him with this Christ-like mind, which brings 
unity to mankind. There is no doubt but that this 
caused the fathers to vote him to be President on this 
occasion, to lead them in making plain the First Religion. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 19 

A WISE MAN PRESIDENT OF CONVENTION 

''Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to meet you 
on this occasion and to have the honor of addressing 
the fathers of the production of good works which are 
not of man, but of God. But while it is in all men, yet 
God and His Son only have the giving out of such 
goodness to the world. The knowledge of such good 
works came first to the w^orld by God's personal 
command, to the wise fathers, in the renevv-ing of 
our world. Before this command from God there 
were no good works known to the world. Luke 17 : 20- 
21. I, as a 'wise man,' being a descendant from 
the wise fathers, was at a loss to know how goodness 
could comxC through evil man, until I saw where Jesus 
told even the foolish Pharisees, 'Behold, the kingdom 
of God is within you.' Then flashed the truth of God's 
kingdom v/ithin me. When I could see why God chose 
man while being guilty of the worst crimes and in- 
spired him to do work for Him. Now we can see the 
inspirations did not come from flesh and blood, but 
from the kingdom of God within man. We find by 
Jesus' words God from the beginning was protecting 
his own in this kingdom while he allowed evil man 
to be destroyed. 

"The next question that comes before you and 
arises in the w^orld on account of the free school 
system in America, this system in time the whole 



20 THE FIRST RELIGION 

world will adopt that will make you all interested, 
and which means that all mankind, if so desired, can 
be educated, thereby causing the people to read and 
think for themselves. For God's word, we all know, 
is as sharp as a two-edged sword to the dissolving 
of the truth under the government of Christ. And 
the free libraries in America that are so much like our 
mothers' parlors, the people just delight during their 
leisure time while resting in these beautiful places, 
to read, and the beauty of it is, they are not shut ofif 
from any book that there is any knowledge to be de- 
riA'ed from. 

''We find in this age the Holy Bible is no longer 
a book of the past. 

This is why God's religion is made so clear in the 
twentieth century. The Public Schools are as a gift 
from God to the unlearned, so that they can be counted 
in they all that will know God from the least to the 
greatest. On my right I noticed a few of the prophets 
of old and on my left some of the Master's disciples. 
In our purpose to make God's religion clear to the 
world I will ask Father Abraham to explain the story 
of Larazus and the rich man. St. Luke 16:19. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 21 

FATHER ABRAHAM IN CONVENTION 

Mr. President, while I look upon this audience of 
leaders representing God's great spirit in mankind, I 
feel to rejoice. In reference to Lazarus, he was one 
of the few that contain some of the spirit that has 
descended from our first parents, and like Abel, whose 
nature w^as to be good, he loved to glorify God. To 
die meant for him to live forever. I was acting power 
for my people, I believe God. It was counted to me for 
righteousness. Therefore I knew those that were good, 
and when the rich crushed Lazarus' life out, he found a 
refuge in me. Then the rich man got in trouble for 
God said, ''this day thy soul is required of thee," he 
called on me also, being the father of the nations. As 
his Gods of gold were silent, he wanted me to intercede 
for him to the living God. After telling him I had no 
authority beyond the grave, he said he would like a 
little water, if only I could send Lazarus to him. I 
had to inform him that he was in the place that was 
intended for the devil and his angels before the world 
began, and on account of the flood there has been a gulf 
fixed between this world of opportunity and the world 
of the lost, and the only way to avoid that gulf is to 
believe in God and do the right while yet alive, but he 
insisted on me sending someone from the dead, to warn 
his brethren. I told him that they cannot believe while 
worshipping Gods of iron and clay, even though one 
should come to him from the dead. Great applause 
was given to the father of righteousness. 



22 THE FIRST RELIGION 

ST. PETER IN CONVENTION 

Mr. President and brethren. This saint of God 
having inspired the kingdom of God within me, lead- 
ing me to think of God's son while in the flesh, who 
said the spirit of the Father is upon me, he has 
annointed me to tell good tidings .and to open the 
prison to those that are bound. Isaiah 61. Then he 
commenced to draw men unto him. First his disciples, 
twelve in number, who were delighted to co-operate 
with him in his goodness. Matthew 26:45. But in the 
Garden of Gethsemene he caused a sleep to come over 
his disciples and prayed to his father to let the spirit 
of those he had given him accompany him so he could 
present them faultless before his throne, but there 
was one who was on the side of the lost. The dear 
Lord had invited the thief on the cross to be with him 
that same day in Paradise. St. Luke 23 -Ad. Leaving 
his disciples without his kingdom within them that is 
why they were so ready to forget the son of God at the 
time of his crucifixion, it leaving them in the state that 
humanity was in before the flood. Then came the new 
life — being born again in that upper room. The 
Saviour told me to tarry in prison, until the power of 
the Holy Ghost will come within me. Luke 24-49. 
Causing me to know that I was a new creature the 
Lord himself being conceived of the Holy Ghost, his 
power enabling the disciples to take up the work that 
the twelve representing the twelve tribes of Israel fell 
down in, but to God be the glory. I will close by ask- 
ing you all to look to the East, West, North and South 
of your world in this century and see the number of 
churches that have been established on account of the 
spirit of truth that was sent forth from God through 
his Son in the world. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 23 

JUDAS BETRAYER IN CONVENTION 

Mr. President: I want to rejoice with this audience 
in further knowledge gained by the messages from 
both Father Abraham and St. Peter. I, am Judas, he 
who betrayed the Lord. I might say that while my 
brethren were liberated that because of my wicked 
act, I am still bound in prison, which bars me from the 
presence of the Holy Ghost who alone can give the 
new birth, but I have faith in God's son, who claims 
through the crucifixion, even the angels of the devil, 
[ being a descendent of our first parents, I have in- 
herited God's spirit, which the devil cannot destroy, 
and because of my companionship with Jesus, who has 
in his mysterious way shut me out from Heaven until 
he comes to judge the world. St. John 20 : 22. Which 
makes Father Abraham's sayings plain, because the man 
with the one talent means the rich man without God, 
having only life and hides that life in his riches, which 
he depends on after his work on earth is done to buy 
his way to Heaven. Matthew 19 : 24. I was the man 
with the two talents, having life and also spirit. At 
the Master's coming he will call me good, because 
while he shut me in with the wicked, God's spirit has 
drawn the wicked ones Godward, or to know his reli- 
gion. I was the lost sheep and knew my Master's 
\'oice and when he gathers up his jewels, I will be in- 
cluded with many of the lost, from the underworld, 
which means the slums of the great cities. 



24 THE FIRST RELIGION 

PROPHET JONAH IN CONVENTION 

Mr. President: While looking over the audience and 
seeing so many who are established because of the 
first religion — it reflects to me the power of God's 
kingdom within. While backward in carrying out 
God's command, he revealed to me the real experience 
of Hell on earth, but in the book of Jonah you will 
find where no Hell can hold one that contains God's 
spirit. The Gods that the People of Nineveh w^or- 
shipped could not do works, but God gave me this 
experience so I could preach as to what the living 
God can do, who caused me to be thrown into this 
ocean while directing a whale to rescue me with 
instructions to put me forth on dry land. The people 
of the twentieth century think it impossible, but it 
took what I experienced to entice the citizens of Nin- 
vah to believe in God's spirit. Let me mention a power 
which comes from the Devil's kingdom^, that our leaders 
have seen fade away. I have reference to the intoxi- 
cating liquors that God's religion has wiped out — 
which has been known the world over as the evil 
one's stronghold to blind the eyes of humanity against 
righteousness, and from such habit there has beei: 
very little hope for its victims, it leading on to drugs, 
where all chances of obtaining their perfection seems to be 
gone. I will call on those representing the prophets of old 
to bear me out when I say this evil drink was a God 
we could not destroy in times past, and the people of 



THE FIRST RELIGION 25 

old will think it just as great a miracle as it was when 
the whale had swallowed me up. The people of the 
American and Canadian world ought to rejoice be- 
cause Christ through his church was equal in power 
to make their world dry to them in the twentieth 
century. To those that doubt the power of God over 
the evil one, read Exodus 4 ch. 2 to 5, which shows 
God's spirit in humanity can overcome evil. 



26 THE FIPST RELIGION 

ST. PAUL IN CONVENTION 

Mr. President : Before closing this great convention 
of the holy prophets, I want to give my experience 
v^hile drawling your attention to the ninth chapter 
cf the book of Acts, which makes plain, while I had 
only life I lived to oppose the God's spirit, but as 
history tells, a searchlight from Heaven inserting 
within me the Christ life, making me blind to wicked- 
ness, as well as the world, I cried to know the 
kingdom of God within me. To find that instruc- 
tions were given one of his Saints to acquaint me 
with the Holy Ghost, when I became a new creature, 
being born again. Wickedness passed away and be- 
hold, all things became new. I refer you to the Book 
of Acts, 11th chapter, 25 and 26 verse. Being with the 
disciples in the first Christian church where the disci- 
ples were called Chistians for the first time in this 
world. The place was in the City of Antioch and when 
I became acquainted with the first religion I was in- 
terested on questions that no one but us in the flesh can 
solve, comes from God's own words. Genesis 3 :22 ; 
'And the Lord said. Behold, the man has become as 
one of us, to know good and evil ; and now, lest he put 
forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and 
cat, and live for ever.' 

''The problem which the world wants us to solve, 
v/hile they believe God's word, which says, 'Man has 



THE FIRST RELIGION 27 

become as one of us, to know good and evil/ they also 
believe Jesus' words when He says, 'None are good,' 
and also His words, 'The kingdom of God is within 
you,' which makes God's words plain, 'That mankind 
before him only knew evil,' making it possible for all 
men to be one with God the Father, and God the Son, 
and God the Holy Ghost. 

"This kingdom of God in man proves that God has 
other worshipers than flesh and blood, which proves 
Jesus' words when he says, 'They who worship Him 
must worship Him in spirit and in truth,' which is 
God's kingdom in man. This truth is brought to light 
under the government of Christ and shows us we 
would be subject to darkness and the light of improve- 
ment we would have never known without God's 
Son in the world. 

I imagine these words had such an effect on the 
fathers of the different churches of the world that their 
inclination to speak on the subject of their goodness 
would cause them all to be on their feet at once. 

While they could not all speak at once, they, being 
men, would naturally be somewhat impatient while 
awaiting an opportunity to express their opinions on 
the subject of goodness. 

I imagine during the confusion that the representa- 
tive of the larger church would have a tendency to 
look on the representative of the smaller church with 



28 THE FIRST RELIGION 

a desire to have them wait, and allow the most exper- 
ienced to speak first. 

Then the wise leader would again have to have his 
say, he representing the first religion, being a descen- 
dant of the wise men who walked with God. I imagine 
the excitement in this convention was such that it 
caused the leader to rap for order, but without avail. 
I also imagine that during this confusion, Jesus, who 
is ever near, appeared to them with the words, 'Teace 
be unto you," and; like the words uttered by Him 
when He calmed the seas,' so those words calmed the 
fathers of all the churches in the world. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 29 

JESUS APPEARS IN CONVENTION 

I imagine I can see them as they beheld the Master. 
They were of one mind toward Him. Of course, the 
holy influence from Christ, coming in contact with the 
kingdom of God within the fathers of religion, would 
naturally cause them to be in accordance with Him, 
so if it really occurred that the Lord appear in their 
presence, the inmates of this kingdom would cause 
the fathers to put forth their hands, and if they only 
touch Jesus, the evil, which is their bodies, would 
vanish, leaving them to know Paradise, so they could 
eat of God's goodness and live for ever, which com- 
plies with Jesus words to His perfect ones, who are 
the inmates of His Father's kingdom, their power 
being brought to mankind through the Holy Ghost, 
thereby causing them to be overcomers Jesus' words. 
Revelations 7:2, '*'To him that overcometh will I give 
to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the 
paradise of God." 



30 THE FIRST RELIGION 

PRESIDENT ENDORSING SPEAKERS IN 
CONVENTION 

My dear brethren : I have noticed each and every 
one of the speakers showing how the spirit of God 
can enter and control life that he gave humanity since 
the beginning. Your presence in the convention is 
evidence of the first religion which God gave our 
first parents who were commissioned by the God 
head after they were told they had become as one 
with them, to know good and evil. I have noticed 
by each of your testimonies that this same goodness 
was present with you in all of your troubles, down 
through the ages, causing you to be overcomers, be- 
cause the spirit of God had directed your minds to 
glorify him, by believing in His religion. 

Which is ruling the universe and filling it to over- 
flowing with the essence of Health, Beauty, Power, 
Opulence, Goodness, Wisdom, Love ; that every seem- 
ing contradiction is but the figment of negative 
thought. Sin is Ignorance, Error is Misunderstanding, 
Vice is Shortsightedness, Poverty is Blindness, Failure 
is Faithlessness, Misfortune is Misfitness, Envy is Am- 
bition thwarted. Malice is Charity misplaced, Hate is 
Love inverted. Fear is Hope repressed, Gloom is Light 
undawned, Disease is Health unclaimed. Death is Life 
unsensed. Hell is Heaven undeveloped. 

Since Christ was crucified every living creature has 



THE FIRST RELIGION 31 

within itself the elements of perfection, needing but 
to know and to grow the Divine Within for the at- 
taining of the sublimest heights imagined and idealized 
by the human mind ; that Pain and Sorrow, Doubt and 
Despair, Disease and Death, are but passing stages of 
arrested Unfoldment — beneficent in their purpose when 
understood, dominated and outgrown. 

I believe that the human body is literally the Temple 
of God ; the outer court is Thought, controlling all en- 
trance and exit; the inner court is Digestion, where 
none but the pure may penetrate ; and the Holy of 
holies is Sex — the Shekinah of the Creative Principle. 
To -purify the Temple needs but to banish from the 
outer court the sprites of Adverse Suggestion, to clear 
from the inner court the gnomes of Mal-assimilation, 
and to lift from the HoLy of holies the cloud of shame 
that Prudery has precipitated. 

Man as a human being, should live close to Nature, 
eat the simplest foods, drink the purest water, breathe 
the clearest air, seek the highest sunlight, wear the 
loosest clothing, inhabit the freest dwelling. Cherish 
the truest comradeship and think the happiest 
thoughts. The Divine in man must grow while the 
body must die. And that this tiny planet is only to 
form his foothold, while his Hope and Longing and 
Love rise into conscious oneness with the Infinite. 

Ignorance, Fear, Criticism, Public Opinion are the 
self-perpetrating slayers of the human spirit; that the 



32 THE FIRST RELIGION 

intuitive supremacy of the Higher Consciousness is 
the summit of power whence springs all purposeful 
and resourceful activity; such is the result that comes 
when you possess the first religion which is the God 
spirit within. 

The education of a child should begin primarily with 
the wooing of its parents and end only with its cen- 
tenary transmutation into the Universal, unsullied by 
the fleeting shadow we call Death ; that the hope of the 
race lies in Immaculate Conception, Pre-Natal Culture 
and Child-Unfolding, and that no human can be too 
aged or infirm or despairing to be illumined and in- 
spired and transfigured by the light of Truth. 

We must not forget the first taste of the government 
of the God king in the world, that came from the in- 
spiration of you wise men, while having the heavenly 
vision of the Christ child on earth under the star, 
which made you all rejoice with exceedingly great joy. 
The effect on the world of that joy has never decreased 
in the material life, for while the descendants of wis- 
dom were so happy at the birth of Jesus on the first 
Christmas day, they also were the founders of all 
Christ-like gifts, which is universal in the world with 
both rich and poor in the twentieth century. 

It is plainly seen when they presented to the child 
gifts. Matt. 2; 11: "And when they were come into 
the house, they saw the young child with Mary his 



THE FIRST RELIGION 33 

mother, and fell down, and worshipped him : and when 
they had opened their treasures, they presented unto 
him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh." So the 
goodness coming from the knowledge you wise men 
had of the coming of the Universal King will never be 
forgotten in the world. 

You have also made plain the need of a Redeemer 
in this world at this convention, by proving all things 
that man could accomplish was done in its behalf. Yet, 
murder prevailed, so that the Son of God was com- 
pelled to force his way through such an atmosphere 
that he may procure salvation for those that planned 
to destroy him. Matthew 2 :13. I have seen reason to 
praise God, even because of the works accomplished 
by his .prophets. You will all please stand and while 
closing this world-wide convention we will praise the 
Son of God w^hile he is in our midst. He has blessed 
us, to whom belong the glory and power and dominion 
for ever and ever. 



34 THE FIRST RELIGION 

THE GREATEST PREACHER. 

Earth's wisest Preacher tells of the kingdom of His 
Father in man, which endorses the words He heard 
before the world began, ''Good and evil to know means 
one of us to be." 

With outstretched arms in love He said, ''The w^se 
and the foolish my Father made," assuring them ail 
God's words cannot change : His kingdom in man 
means his elect. 

While the wisest son of man was He, the kingdom of 
His Father caused Him, the Son of God, to be, by be- 
ing one with man, good and evil to see. ''But my king- 
dom is not of this world," said He. 

This wisest Preacher said, "None of the flesh are 
good." No better proof could be given of the kingdom 
of God from above, for He, as man, was born again be- 
fore He from the earth did ascend to be king in the 
world of His Father's kingdom in men. 

To this wisest Preacher of men by night a ruler came 
requesting of Him God's goodness to know. To this 
man Jesus made it very plain : "While of the flesh none 
are good, you must be born again to know the power 
of God as will come to man when I ascend." 



THE FIRST RELIGION 35 

INTRODUCING THE GREAT PREACHER 

In Matthew 16: 15-18, Peter says: 'Thou art the 
Christ, the Son of the living God.." 

Jesus answered : "Flesh and blood hath not revealed 
it unto thee." 

John 11 :32 : "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, 
will draw all men unto me." 

John 14 : 26 : "But the Comforter, which is the Holy- 
Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. He will 
teach you all things, and bring all things to your re- 
membrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.' 

John 13 : 34 : "A new commandment I give unto you, 
That ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye 
also love one another." 

John 9 : 1-4 : "Master, who did sin, this man or his 
parents, that he was born blind?" 

Jesus answered: "Neither has this man sinned, nor 
his parents ; but that the works of God should be made 
manifest in him." 

John, X., 33-38 : "The Jews answered him, saying, 
For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; 
and because that thou, being a man, makes thyself God. 

"Jesus answered them. Is it not written in your law, 
I said, Ye are gods? 



36 THE FIRST RELIGION 

''If he called them gods, upon whom the word of 
God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken ; 

**Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified 
and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I 
said, I am the Son of God? 

*'If I do not the works of my Father, believe me 
not. 

''But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the 
works ; that ye may know, and believe, that the Father 
is in me, and I in him/' 

John 11:1-45: Now a certain man was sick, named 
Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister 
Martha. 

It was that Mary which annointed the Lord with 
ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose 
brother Lazarus was sick. 

Then after that saith he to his disciples. Let us go 
behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 

When Jesus heard that, he said. This sickness is not 
unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of 
God might be glorified thereby. 

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Laza- 
rus. 

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he 
abode two days still in the same place where he was. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 37 

When after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go 
into Judaea again. 

His disciples said unto him, Master, the Jews of late 
sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? 

Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the 
day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, 
because he seeth the light of this world. 

But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, be- 
cause there is no light in him. 

These things said he: and after that he saith unto 
them. Our frieiid Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I 
may awake him out of sleep. 

Then said his disciples. Lord, if he sleep, he shall do 
well. 

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death ; but they thought 
that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead ; 

And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, 
to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go 
unto him. 

Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto 
his fellow disciples. Let us also go, that we may die 
with him. 

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in 
the grave four days already. 

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen 
furlongs off; 



38 THE FIRST RELIGION 

And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, 
to comfort them concerning their brother. 

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was 
coming, went and met him ; but Mary sat still in the 
house. 

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst 
been here, my brother had not died. 

But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt 
ask of God, God will give it thee. 

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise 
again in the resurrection at the last day. 

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the 
life ; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet 
shall he live : 

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall 
never die, Believest thou this? 

She saith unto him. Yea, Lord; I believe that thou 
art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into 
the world. 

And when she had so said, she went her way, and 
called Mary her sister, secretly saying, The Master is. 
come, and calleth for thee. - - 

As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and 
came unto him. 

Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was 
in that place where Martha met him. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 39 

The Jews then which were with her in the house, and 
comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up 
hastily and went out, followed her, saying. She goeth 
unto the grave to weep there. 

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and 
saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, 
Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews 
also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the 
spirit, and was troubled. 

And said. Where have ye laid him? They said unto 
him, Lord, come and see. 

Jesus wept. 

Then said the Jews, Behold, how he loved him ! 

And some of them said, Could not this man, which 
opened the eyes of the blind, have caused tha.t even this 
man should not have died? 

Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, cometh 
to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 

Jesus said. Take ye away the stone. Martha, the 
sister of him that was dead, saith unto him. Lord, by 
this time he stinketh ; for he hath been dead four days. 

Jesus saith unto her. Said I not unto thee, that, if 
thou wouldst believe, thou shouldest see the glory of 
God? 

Then they took away the stone from the place where 
the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and 
said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 



40 THE FIRST RELIGION 

And I knew that thou hearest me always; but be- 
cause of the people which stand by I said it, that they 
may believe that thou hast sent me. 

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud 
voice, Lazarus, come forth. 

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and 
foot with grave-clothes : and his face was bound about 
with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, loose him, and 
let him go. 

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and 
had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 

Matthew 7 :24, 27 : '^Therefore whosoever heareth 
these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him 
unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 

"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and 
the winds blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell 
not : for it was founded upon a rock. 

"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, 
and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish 
man, which built his house upon the sand : 

"And the rain descended, and the floods carne, and 
the winds blew, and beat upon that house : and it fell : 
and great was the fall of it.'' 

We have the exact words of the Son of God that 
his Father's Spirit was the Rock which brought forth 
goodness like water from a spring in humanity since 
the beginning. And he is asking all people to take 



THE FIRST RELIGION 41 

heed to his sayings that they may have his life more 
abundantly. He is emphasizing what God wanted the 
people to know before the world was destroyed by 
water as no doubt they ignored his religion, being 
without his Spirit. Jesus makes it clear that without 
God's spirit they in the beginning built their founda- 
tion upon the sand and when the winds blew and beat 
u^.on that world it fell and great was the fall of it. 



42 THE FIRST RELIGION. 

EXACT WORDS OF NAPOLEON 

One day he said to one of his officers: "Can you 
tell me who Jesus Christ was?" 

The officer owned that he had not yet taken thought 
of such things. 

"Well, then/' said Napoleon, "I will tell you." 

He then compared Christ to himself and with the 
heroes of antiquity and showed how Jesus far sur- 
passed them. 

'T think I understand somewhat of human nature," 
he continued, ''and I tell you all these were men and 
I am a man, but not one is like Him. Jesus w^as more 
than a man. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and my- 
self founded great empires, but upon what did the 
creation of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus 
alone founded His empire upon love, and to this very 
day millions would die for him. Here lies the Book of 
Books upon the table," touching it reverently; 'Svhat 
a proof of the divinity of Jesus Christ! Yet in this 
absolute sovereignty He has but one aim — the spirit- 
ual perfection of the individual, the purification of his 
conscience, his union with what is true, the salvation 
of his soul. Men wonder at the conquests of Alexan- 
der, but here is a conqueror who draws men to Him- 
self for their highest good ; who unites to Himself, 
incorporates unto Himself, not a nation, but a whole 
human race." 

Again, Napoleon said : 'Trom first to last Jesus is 



THE FIRST RELIGION 43 

the same, always the same, majestic and simple, in- 
finitely gentle. Throughout a life passed under the 
public eye He never gives occasion to find fault. The 
prudence of His conduct compels our admiration by 
its union of force and gentleness. Alike in speech and 
action. He is enlightened, consistent and calm. Sub- 
limity is said to be an attribute of divinity. What 
name, then, shall we give Him in whose character 
were united every element of the sublime? I know 
men, and I tell you that Jesus is not a man. Every- 
thing in Him amazes me. His spirit outreaches m.ine, 
and His will confounds me. I defy you to cite another 
like that of Christ.'' 

This inspiration from the kingdom of God within 
this great warrior makes plain to us Jesus' own words,- 
which prove He was the Son of the living God, when 
He said He was with the Father before the world was. 
His name is clear to us when He said, "That which is 
born of the spirit is spirit, and that which is born 
of flesh is flesh." 



44 THE FIRST RELIGION 

TO THE UNKNOWN GODS. 

Paul, as a preacher, in the early century, had an in- 
spiration of the kingdom of God within him. 

From Phillippi, Paul and Silas went to Thessalonica, 
which was the largest city in Macedonia. There they 
found many Jews, and a synagogue where the Jews 
worshipped. For three weeks Paul spoke at the meet- 
ings in the synagogue, and showed the meaning of the 
Old Testament writings that the Saviour for whom all 
the Jews Avere looking must suffer, and die, and rise 
again from the dead. And Paul said to them : 

''This Jesus, whom I preach to you, is the Christ, 
the Son of God and the King of Israel.'' 

Some of the Jews believed Paul's teachings, and a 
far greater number of the Greeks, the people of the 
city who were not Jews, became followers of Christ. 
And with them were some of the leading women of 
the city, so that a large church of believers in Christ 
arose in Thessalonica. 

But the Jews who would not believe in Jesus were 
very angry as they saw so many seeking the Lord. 
They stirred up a crowd of the lowest people in the 
city, and raised a riot, and led a noisy throng to the 
house of a man named Jason, with whom they sup- 
posed that Paul and Silas were staying. The crowd 
broke into the house,* and sought for Paul and Silas, 
but could not find them. Then they seized Jason, the 
master of the house, and some other friends of the 



THE FIRST RELIGION 45 

apostles, and dragged them before the rulers of the 
city, and cried out : 

"These men who have turned the whole world up- 
side down, have come to this city, and Jason has taken 
them into his house. They are acting contrary to the 
laws of Caesar the emperor, for they say that there is 
another king, a man whose name is Jesus/' 

The rulers of the city were greatly troubled when 
they saw these riotous people, and heard their words. 
They knew that Jason and his friends had done noth- 
ing against the law of the land ; but to content the 
crowd they made the believers promise to obey the 
laws, and then let them go free. The brethren of the 
church sent away Paul and Silas, in the night-time, to 
the city of Berea, which was not far from Thessa- 
lonica. Then again they found a synagogue of the 
Jews, and, as in other places, Paul went into its meet- 
ings and preached Jesus, not only to the Jews, but 
also to the Gentiles, many of whom worshipped with 
the Jews. 

These people wxre of a nobler spirit than the Jews 
of Thessalonica, for they did not refuse to hear Paul's 
teachings. They listened with open minds, and every 
day they studied the Old Testament writings, to see 
whether the words spoken by Paul were true. And 
many of them became believers in Jesus, not only the 
Jews, but the Gentiles also ; for those who study the 
Bible will always find Christ in its pages. But the 
news went to Thessalonica that the word of Christ 
was being taught in Berea. The Jews of Thessalonica 



46 THE FIRST RELIGION 

sent some men to Berea, who stirred up the people 
against Paul and Silas. To avoid such a riot as had 
arisen in Thessalonica, the brethren took Paul away 
from the city, but Silas and Timothy stayed for a time. 

The men who wxnt with Paul led him down to the 
sea, and went with him to Athens. There they left 
Paul alone, but took back with them Paul's message 
to Silas and Timothy to hasten to him as quickly as 
they could come. While Paul was waiting for his 
friends in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, as he 
saw the city full of idols. It was said that in the city 
of Athens the images of the gods were more in num- 
ber than the people. Paul talked w^ith the Jews in the 
synagogue, and in the public square of the city with 
the people whom he met. For all the people of Athens, 
and those who were visiting in that city, spent most 
of their time in telling or in hearing whatever was new. 
And there were in Athens many men who were 
thought very wise, and who were teachers of what tliey 
called wisdom. Some of these men met Paul, ani as 
they heard him, they said scornfully. What does this 
babbler say?'' 

And because he preached to them of Jesus, and of 
his rising from the dead, some said, ''This man seems 
to be talking about some strange gods !" 

Acts 17: 22-29: 'Then Paul stood in the midst of 
Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that 
in all things ye are too superstitious. 

"For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I 
found an altar wuth this inscription, TO THE UN- 



THE FIRST RELIGION 47 

KNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly wor- 
ship, him declare I unto you. 

*'God that made the world and all things therein, 
seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth 
not in temples made wath hands ; 

''Neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though 
he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and 
breath, and all things ; 

''And hath made of one blood all nations of men for 
to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determiined 
the times before appointed, and the bounds of their 
habitation ; 

"That they should seek the Lord, if haply they 
might feel after him, and find him, though he be not 
far from every one of us ; 

"For in him we live, and move, and have our being; 
as certain also of your own poets have said. For we 
are also his offspring. 

"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we 
ought not to think that Godhead is like unto gold, or 
silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device." 

II Corinthians 6:7: "But we have this treasure in 
earthern vessels, that the excellency of the power may 
be of God, and not of us." Also II Corinthians 4: 
16-18 : "But though our outward man perish, yet the 
inward man is renewed day by day. 

"While we look not at the things which are seen, 
but at the things which are not seen; for the things 
which are seen are temporal, but the things which are 
not seen are eternal." 



48 THE FIRST RELIGION 

DR. DOWIE AS A PREACHER. 

Dr. Dowie, as a preacher in the twentieth century, 
thought it nothing to restore Greater New York back 
to the early century ways of doing things while the 
people in this age are enjoying all the inventions of 
men so freely through wisdom coming from none other 
than the Christ, for the betterment of mankind, in- 
cluding free knowledge of the world, which we could 
not have only for such government. 

The Son of God, who is drawing all men to be wise 
in all things, and who caused the leading men of this 
land of the free to build this new world on the motto 
that can never die, ''In God we trust,'^ allowing no 
man to be bound to man, because they believed God 
when He said, ''Behold the man has become as one 
of us." 

And while enjoying the fruits of the goodness of 
God through those men, we know such fruit causes the 
men of this age to be wiser than in any previous age 
in history. 

The writer was somewhat surprised when his at- 
tention was drawn to an advertisement of the com- 
ing of a man who claimed to be Elijah the Third, and 
his curiosity was aroused, so he attended his meetings 
on several occasions in Madison Square Garden, New 
York. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 49 

While at these meetings and hearing his denuncia- 
tion of the wise men of this great city, I can only 
express my opinion of such a man by using the words 
in Proverbs, xvii., 15: ''He that justifieth the wicked, 
and he that condemneth the just, even they both are 
an abomination to the Lord.' 



50 THE FIRST RELIGION 

WHAT IS HEAVEN? 

By Rev. Frederic Laurence Knowles 

I heard a preacher talk of Heaven, a land 
Reserved for him and his, the Lord's elect ; 

He threatened vengeance with a clenched right hand 
On doubters of the dogmas of his sect. 

''One shall be taken and the other left; 

What widow knows, wild with the parting kiss. 
But God may choose that she remain bereft. 

Divorced by Hell's impassable abyss? 

*'A mother will not meet her child when Death 

Disjoins them, if his soul be unredeemed; 

These loves of earth are fugitive as breath. 

And have no weight with God.'' Thus be blas- 
phemed. 

]\Ierely a boy, as I beheld the sky 

Through the church windows, I grew sick with fear, 
•\s fatherless as Hagar's child felt I, 

Beggared of hope and naked of all cheer. 

I left the barren room while still the flock 

Were worshiping their God, or thought they were, — 

■'Joy!" smiled the fl.owers, ''Peace!'' sang each patient 
rock, 

''Love!" shouted forth each wild bird-chorister. 



THE FIRST RELIGION 51 

Then flashed God's truth ! and from that day the lies 
Framed by the creeds of men, which mock our earth, 

Burlesque the sun and travesty the skies, 
I value only at their v^orthless w^orth. 

Heaven? What is Heaven! Escape from burning coals. 
Or simply love? Well, one thing it is never: 

An aristocracy of virtuous souls 

Where the self-righteous sun themselves for ever ! 

To think that Love's creator rashly hurled 
To outer darkness such a masterpiece ! 

Love — the best gift in this or any v^orld — 
Made perfect tD be shattered in caprice. 

A pagan bowing down to sea or sun 

Or harmless idol on his cabin shelf 
Is nearer Truth than you whose God is one 

Less good and merciful than you yourself. 

If God is God, and if His name be Love, 
Can He elect or damn like some mad Fate? 

Far better say no life exists above 
Than bend the knee to worship infinite Hate ! 

Love must survive, a thing of all delight, 

In this fair Heaven, between the grass and blue 

And in what Heavens may lie beyond our sight, — 
But who elects it? Is it Gbd, or you? 

The above is as it appeared in the Zion's Herald, New 
York, Wednesday, October 14, 1903. 



52 THE FIRST RELIGION 

GOD'S SPIRIT WAS IN THE FATHERS OF 
AMERICA 

Jesus having power to control the inmates of His 
Father's kingdom, causing them to be overcomers, He 
said, ''To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with 
me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am sit- 
ting down with mv Father in His throne." 

How universal were Jesus' words when He said, 
''I will draw all men unto me/' 

How much like the mind of Christ was the father 
of the land of the free when he fought not for the free- 
dom of his country only, but made it possible for all 
the world to share the inspiration of freedom from the 
kingdom of God within him. What an example also 
of the mind of Jesus could be seen in Abraham Lincoln 
when freeing the slaves. The inspiration from this 
chosen man of God is being realized the world over 
for the betterment of mankind. 

George Robinson has an inspiration of freedom in 
view, which seems to me to be one of the very best 
steps for the good of the multitude since Abraham 
Lincoln. 

There is nothing so beautiful as the home of a hus- 
band and wife who are brought together under the in- 
fluence of Jesus' kingdom. And while it is so easy 
to marry and for a couple to unite, having in view other 
motives than pure love, a great many seem to forget 
that they hold the key to good or evil on earth, but 



THE FIRST RELIGION 53 

commence to think when those imaginary motives 
fade, only to find the beginning of trouble, which the 
exact words of a wife endorses after divorce : ''My 

life with that man was a h 1 on earth. No one 

knows what I have suffered, but now that it is over 
there are some things that are better left unsaid/' 

I v/ish this chosen man of God every success with 
his bill to open wide the divorce courts so those who 
are enslaved can be set at liberty. 

Matthew, vii., 18 : ''A good tree cannot bring forth 
evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good 
fruit/' 



54 



THE FIRST RELIGION 



Key to All the Stories In the Bible 

While making clear the first religion from the Bible, 
the writer wishes further to carry out his desire by 
planting the thoughts of every story as shown in the 
good book into the minds of the readers. By insert- 
ing the following references just as to where they can 
be found ; in referring to the passages of scripture that 
is placed under the headlines of every story that the 
Bible contains commencing at the Garden of Eden 
from the beginning. 



The Story of a Beautiful 
Garden 

Genesis i:l to iii:24 

The First Baby in the World 
and His Brother 

Genesis iv:l to 18 

The Great Ship That Saved 
Eight People 

Genesis v:l to ix:17 

The Tower that was Never 
Finished 

Genesis xi:l, to xi:9 

The Story of a Long Journey 

Genesis xi:27, to xiii:18 

How Lot's Choice Brought 

Trouble and Abram's 

Choice Brought 

Blessing 

Genesis xiv:l, to xv:21 

The Angel by the Well 

Genesis xvi:l, to xvii:27 

The Rain of Fire that Fell 
on a City 

Genesis xviii:l, to xix:30 

The Boy who Became an 
Archer 

Genesis xxi:l to 21 

How an Angel's Voice Saved 

a Boy's Life 

Genesis xxii:l, to xxiii:20 

The Story of a Journey after 

a Wife 

Genesis xxiv:l, to xxv:18 



How Jacob Stole His Broth- 
er's Blessing 

Genesis xxv:27, to xxvii:46 

Jacob's Wonderful Dream 

Genesis xxvii:46, to xxx:24 

A Midnight Wrestling Match 

Genesis xxx:25, to xxxiii:20 

The Rich Man's Son V/ho 
was Sold as a Slave 

Genesis xxxvii:l to 36 

From the Prison to the 
Palace 

Genesis xl:l, to xli:44 

How Joseph's Dream Came 
True 

Genesis xli:46, to xlii:38 

A Lost Brother Found 

Genesis xliiirl, xlv:24 

From the Land of Famine to 

the Land of Plenty 

Genesis xlv:25, to 1:26 

The Beautiful Baby Who 
was Found in a River 

Exodus i:l, t-o ii:22 

The Voice from the Burning 
Bush 

Exodus iii:l, to iv:31 

The River That Ran Blood 

Exodus vi:28, to x:29 

The Night When a Nation 
was Born 

Exodus xi:l, to xiii:22 



THE FIRST RELIGION 



55 



How the Sea Became Dry 

Land and the Sky Rained 

Bread 

Exodus xiv:l, to xvi:36 

The Mountain That Smoked 

and the Words That were 

Spoken From It 

Exodus xvii:l, to xxxi:18 

How Aaron Made a Golden 

Calf and What Became of 

It 

Exodus xxxii:!, to xxxiv:35 

The Tent Where God Lived 
Among His People 

Exodus XXXV :1, to xl:38 

How They Worshipped God 
in the Tabernacle 

Leviticus i:l to 13; viii:l to 
13; Exodus xxvii:20, 21 

What Strong Drink Brought 
to Aaron's Sons 

Leviticus x:l to 11 

The Scapegoat in the Wil- 
derness 

Leviticus xvi:l to 34 

The Cluster of Grapes from 
the Land of Canaan 

Numbers xiii:l, to xiv:45 

How the Long Journey of 

the Israelites Came to an 

End 

Numbers xx:l, to xxii:l 

What a \¥ise Man Learned 
from an Ass 

Numbers xxii:2, to xxv:18; 
xxxi:l to 9 

How Moses Looked upon 
the Promised Land 

Numbers xxviil to 4, 63 to 
65; xxxii :1 to 42; Deuteron- 
omy xxxi:l, to xxxiv:12 

The Story of a Job 

Job i:l, to ii:13; xlii:l to 17 
The Story of a Scarlet Cord 

Joshua i:l, to ii:24 



How the River Jordan Be- 
came Dry, and the Walls 
of Jericho Fell Down 

Joshua iii:l, to vi:27 

The Story of a Wedge of 
Gold 

Joshua vii:l, to viii.35 

How Joshua Conquered the 
Land of Canaan 

Joshua ix:l, to xi:23 

The Old Man Who Fought 

Against Giants 

Joshua xiv:l, to xix:51 

The Avenger of Blood and 

the Cities of Refuge 

Joshua XX :1, to xxi:45 

The Story of an Altar Beside 
the River 

Joshua xxiirl, to xxiv:33 

The Present That Ehud 
Brought to King Eglon 

Judges ill, to iii:31 

How a \¥oman Won a Great 
Victory 

Judges iv:l, to v:31 

Gideon and His Brave Three 
Hundred 

Judges vi:l, to viii:28 

Jephthah's Rash Promise 

and What Came from 

It 

Judges viii:33, to xi:40 

The Strong Man: How He 
Lived and How He Died 

Judges xiiiil, to xvi:31 

The Idol Temple at Dan and 
Its Priest 

Judges xvii:l, to xviii:31 

How Ruth Gleaned in the 
Field of Boaz 

Ruth i:l, to iv:22 

The Little Boy with a Linen 
Coat 

I Samuel i:l, to iii:21 



56 



THE FIRST RELIGION 



How the Idol Fell Down 
Before the Ark 

I Samuel iv:l, to vii:l 
The Last of the Judges 

I Samuel vii:2 to 17 

The Tall Man Who was 

Chosen King 
I Samuel viiirl, to x:27 

How Saul Saved the Eyes of 
the Men of Jabesh 

I Samuel xi:l, to xii:25 

The Brave Young Prince 

I Samuel xiii:l, to xiv:46 

Saul's Great Sin and His 

Great Loss 

I Samuel xv:l to 35 

The Shepherd Boy of Beth- 
lehem 
I Samuel xvi:l to 23 

The Shepherd Boy's Fight 

with the Giant 

I Samuel xvii:l to 54 

The Little Boy Looking for 
the Arrows 

I Samuel xvii:55, to xx:42 

Where David Found the 

Giant's Sword 
I Samuel xxi:l, to xxii:23 

How David Spared Saul's 
Life 

I Samuel xxiii:l, to xxvii:12 

The Last Days of King Saul 

I Samuel xxviii:!, to xxxi:13 

The Shepherd Boy Becomes 
a King 

II Samuel i:l, to iv:12 

The Sound in the Treetops 

II Samuel v:l, to vii:29 

The Cripple at the King's 
Table 

II Samuel viii:l, to ix:13 

The Prophet's Story of the 
Little Lamb 

II Samuel xi:l to 25; Psalm 

51 



David's Handsome Son and 
How He Stole the Kingdom 

II Samuel xiii:l, to xvii:23 

Absalom in the Wood; David 
on the Throne 

II Samuel xvii:24, to xx:26 

The Angel with the Drawn 
Sword on Mount Moriah 

II Samuel xxiv:l to 25; I 
Chronicles xxi:l to 27 

Solomon on His Father's 
Throne 

I Kings i:l to 53 

The Wise Young King 

I Kings iii:l, to iv:34; II 
Chronicles i:l to 13 

The House of God on Mount 
Moriah 

I Kings v:l, to ix:9; II 
Chronicles iii:l, to vii:22 

The Last Days of Solomon's 
Reign 

I Kings x:l, to xi:43 

The Breaking Up of a Great 
Kingdom 

I Kings xii:l to 24; II 
Chronicles x:l to 19 

The King Who Led Israel 

to Sin, and the Prophet 

Who was Slain by a 

Lion 

I Kings xii:25, to xiv:20; xv: 
25 to 32 

The Prophet Whose Prayer 
Raised a Boy to Life 

I Kings xv:33, to xvii:24 

The Prayer that was 
Answered in Fire 

I Kings xviiiil to 46 

The Voice that Spoke to Eli- 
jah in the Mount 

I Kings xix:l to 21 

The Wounded Prophet and 
His Story 

1 King XX :1 to 43 



THE FIRST RELIGION 



57 



What Ahab Paid for His 
Vineyard 

I Kings xxi:l to 29 

The Arrow that Killed a 
King 

I Kings xxii:l to 40 
Elijah's Chariot of Fire 

II Kings i:l, to ii:15 

A Spring Sweetened by Salt; 

and Water That Looked 

Like Blood 

II Kings ii:19, to iii:27 

The Pot of Oil and the Pot 
of Poison 

II Kings iv:l to 7; iv:38 to 
44; vi:l to 7 

The Little Boy at Shunem 

II Kings iv:8 to 37 

Hov7 a Little Girl Helped to 
Cure a Leper 

II Kings v:l to 27 

The Chariots of Fire Around 
Elisha 

II Kings vi:8 to 23 

What the Lepers found in 
the Camp 

II Kings vi:24, to vii:20 

Jehu, the Furious Driver of 
His Chariot 

II Kings viii:7 to 15; ix:l, to 
x:36 

Elisha and the Bow; Jonah 
and Nineveh 

i:l, to iv: 
TT Kings xiii:l to 25; Jonsih 

How the Ten Tribes were 
Lost 

II Kings XV :8, to xvii:41 

The First Four Kings of 
Judah 

II Chronicles xii:l, to xx:37 



The Little Boy who was 

Crowned King 

II Chronicles xxi:l, to xxiv: 

27 

Three Kings and a Great 
Prophet 

II Chronicles xxv:l, to 

xxviii:27; Isaiah vi: 

1 to 13 

The Good King Hezekiah 

II Kings xviii:l, to xx:21; 

II Chronicles xxixil, to 

xxxii: 33; Isaiah xxxvi: 

1, to xxxviii:22 

The Lost Book Found in 
the Temple 

II Kings xxi:l, to_xxiii:25; 

II Chronicles xxxiiiil, to 

XXXV :27 

The Last Four Kings of Ju- 
dah and the Weeping 
Prophet 

II Kings xxiii:31, to xxv:22; 
II Chronicles xxxvi :1 to 21; 
Jeremiah xxii:10 to 12; xxiv: 
1 to 10; xxixil to 29; xxxvi: 
1, to xliii:13 

What Ezekiel Saw in the 
Valley 

Ezekiel xxxvii 

The Jewish Captives in the 
Court of the King 

Daniel i:l, to ii:49 

The Golden Image and the 
Fiery Furnace 

Daniel iii:l to 30 

The Tree That was Cut 
down and Grew Again 

Daniel iv:l to 37 

The Writing Upon the Wall 

Daniel v:l to 31 

Daniel in the Den of Lions 

Daniel vi:l to 28 



58 



THE FIRST RELIGION 



The Story of a Joyous 
Journey 

Ezra i:l, to iii:7 

The New Temple on Mount 

Moriah 

Ezra iii:8, to vi:22; Haggai i: 

1, to ii:23; Zechariah iv:6 to 

10 

The Beautiful Queen of 
Persia 

Esther i:l, to x:3 

The Scribe Who Wrote the 
Old Testament 

Ezra vii:l, to x:44 

The Nobleman Who Built 
the Wall of Jerusalem 

Nehemiah i:l. to vii:73 

Ezra's Great Bible Class in 
Jerusalem 

Nehemiah viii:l, to xiii:31; 
Malachi i:l, to iv:6 

The Angel by the Altar 

Luke i:l to 80 

The Manger of Bethlehem 

Matth. i:18 to 25; Luke ii:l 
to 39 

The Star and the Wise Men 

Matth. ii:l to 23 

The Boy in his Father's 
House 

Luke ii:40 to 52 

The Prophet in the Wildner- 
ness 

Alatth. iii:l to 17; Mark i:l 
to 11; Luke iii:l to 23 

Jesus in the Desert, and Be- 
side the River 
^latth. iv:l to 11; Mark i:12 
to 13; Luke iv:l to 13; John 
i:29 to 51 



The Water Jars at the Wed- 
ding Feast 

John ii:l, to ii:21 

The Stranger at the Well 

Alatth. xiv:3 to 5; Mark vi: 

17 to 20; Luke iii:19, 20; 

John iii:22; iv:42 

The Story of a Boy in Caper- 
naum, and of a Riot in 
Nazareth 

John iv:46 to 54; Luke iv:l6 
to 31 

A Net Full of Fishes 

Matth. iv:18 to 22; Mark i:16 
to 34; Luke iv:33, to v:ll 

The Leper and the Man Let 

Down Through the 

Roof 

Matth. viii:2 to 4; ix:2 to 8; 

Mark i:40 to 45; ii:l to 12; 

Luke v:12 to 26 

The Cripple and the Pool 

and the Withered Hand in 

the Synagogue 

Matth. xii:l to 14; Mark ii: 

23; to iii:6; Luke vi:l to 

11; John v:l to 18 

The Twelve Disciples and 

the Sermon on the 

Mount 

Matth. ix:9 to 13; Chapters 

V to viii; Mark ii:13 to 17; 

Luke v:27 to 32; vi:12 

to 49 

The Captain's Servant, the 

Widow's Son, and the 

Woman who was a 

Sinner 

Matth. viii:5 to 13; Luke vii: 

1 to 17; 36 to 50 

Some Stories that Jesus Told 
by the Sea 

Aiatth. xiii:l to 53; Mark iv: 
1 to 34; Luke viii:4 to 18 



THE FIRST RELIGION 



59 



"Peace, Be Still" 

Matth. viii:18 to 3-i; Mark iv: 

35, to v:21; Luke viii:22 to 

40 

The Little Girl Who was 
Raised to Life 

Matth. ix:18 to 38; x:l.to 42; 

Mark v:22 to 43; Luke viii: 

41 to 56; ix:l to 5 

A Dancing Girl and What 

was Given Her 

Matth. xi:2 to 19; xiv:l to 

12; Alark vi:14 to 29; Luke 

vi!:18 to 35 



The Feast Beside the Sea, 
and What Followed It 

Matth. xiv:13 to 36; Mark vi: 

30 to 56; Luke ix:10 to 17; 

John vi:l to 71 

The Answer to a Mother's 
Prayer 

Matth. xv:21 to 39; Mark vii: 
24 to viii;26 

The Glory of Jesus on the 

Mountain 

Matth. xvi:13, to xvii:23; 

Mark viii:27, to ix:32; 

Luke ix:18 to 45 



60 THE FIRST RELIGION 

PARADISE THIS WORLD'S FUTURE NAME 

John 3 :30 v. — God's power must increase while the 
power which causes trouble must decrease. 

The reader will notice while studying God's word 
God's desire to make our first pd:tents wish possible 
when they desired that their offsprings should become 
sons of God. Jesus makes this plain, Luke 17 : 20-21, 
''Behold the kingdom of God is within you, it being 
God's spirit, can never die." Let us study the scrip- 
tures for in them you will find the light of life. 

We can see where it will be made clear that God 
planted salvation into this world at the beginning, 
Humanity bringing destruction upon themselves, 
that's Avhy God's son died to save they that were lost, 
which makes the spirit of those in the new creation 
at one with God's spirit after death as well as before 
under Jesus' leadership to bring the whole world to 
partake of his religion through his kingdom within 
which shows us that this world will never be de- 
stroyed. For while the monuments of Christ which 
are his churches are becoming more numerous, the 
spirits that leave the body of those that love God are 
joining the master which makes his words clear when 
he says ''Because I live ye shall live also." John 14: 
19. So we can understand that at his second coming 
those that are to be caught up with him are they that 
he has fashioned after his image when he appeared to 



THE FIRST RELIGION 61 

his disciples by the wayside. Luke 24 : 32. Those are 
they that have obtained power through God's spirit to 
overcome the power of the prince of the air. It seems 
the time of His coming is not far away. The great 
world war we have so recently experienced which has 
spurred the good people of the world to fight for 
democracy. 

While every mother's boy who has lost his life for 
the cause of Christianity have swelled the number that 
are to usher the Son of God to this earth to announce 
the perfect day. 

They are to take part in chaining the evil monster 
for a thousand years. Then Jesus w^ill say to the 
human race, I am your redeemer for which cause I 
appeared in the flesh. While he which you see bound 
offered me the world if I would bow before him. Matt. 
4::9. But I was acquainted with his delusion, knowing 
his purpose Avas destruction. My aim was to estab- 
lish a perfect w^orld for a perfect people. While this 
evil spirit was at large, the human race could not en- 
joy the life that God intended they should. But there 
is sufficient power behind the cross to bring all man- 
kind under the controling power of the Holy Ghost 
and fire, Vv^hich is to burn up all sin, 

Jude 1 :24-25. Now unto him that is able to keep you 
from falling, and to present you faultless before the 
presence of His glory with exceeding joy. To the only 
wise God, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, domin- 
ion and power, both now and ever. Amen. 

The End. 



